Improvement in electro-magnetic engines



WILLIAM e. THORNTON'.

` Improvement in Electro-Magnetic Engines.

N0. 125,504, PafenfedAprne,1e72.

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UNITED STATES WILLIAM GLITHORNTON, OF VICTORIA, TEXAS.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRO-MAGNETIC ENGINES.l

Specilcation forming part of Letters Patent No. 125,504, dated April 9,1872.

Specification describing an Improved Electro-Magnetic Engine, inventedby WILLIAM G. THORNTON, of Victoria, in the county of Victoria and Stateof Texas.

Figure l represents a side elevation, partly in section, of my improvedelectro -magnetic engine. Fig. 2 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig.3 is a horizontal section of the same on the line o c, Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to a new practical application ofelectro-magnetism to machinery for the purpose of moving the same andkeeping it in motion, and developing a degree of force which is onlylimited by the reduced proportion of power applied. The inventionconsists principally in the transmission of electromagnetic powerthrough compressed air for motor purposes, and the mechanism andcombination of machinery necessary for that purpose.

A in the drawing represents a lever pivoted to a fulcrum-standard, B. Cis an air-pump with all necessary valves and fixtures, to be worked bythe lever A. D is an atmospheric receiver or fuel-chest with allnecessary connecting-pipes, valves, 85e. The lever A is'to be worked byelectro-magnets E E in conjunction with gravitationthe electro-magnetsto lift the piston and gravitation to drive it down. The length ofstroke is regulated by a set-screw, ci, in the head of a slottedstandard and guide, F. The electro-magnets E E are arranged in pairs ona line under the lever, their top ends all being on a level. G G arearmatures suspended from the lever by arms b b that extend upon eachside of the lever, and are connected by a cross-bar, d, which ismovable, and fastened to the arm by nuts c. By these nuts the arms canbe lengthened or shortened, as maybe desired. The cross-bar d forms anedge at the lower side like a scale-pivot, so that it may swing withlittle friction. Every bar d is conined in place by a pair of projectingguards or guides `fon the leverA. These guards f extend upward at suchangles as give freedom of motion to the suspended armature, and willallow free motion to the lever after each armature has reached itsrespective pair of magnets. These guides f also insure the return ofeach armature to its proper place on the lever after the stroke iscompleted and while the lever is moving up to its starting point. Thedistance at which the iirst armature and pair of magnets should be fixedfrom the fulcrum of the lever will depend upon the strength ofthemagnets. The first pair of magnets have little more to do than to liftthe piston ofthe air-pump. The next pair of magnets, being of the samepower as the irst, will be able to continue the movement, owing tomechanical advantage in length of lever, and so on, each pair of magnetsgaining mechanical power as the distance from the fulcrum increases,thus enabling them to meet the constantly-increasing resistance oftheair during the whole time ot' magnetic action.

It must be understood that the i'irst pair of magnetsthat is, thosenearest the fulcrum will bring down the lever so that the next armaturewill be brought under the influence ol' the next pair of magnets. Vlienthe lirst armature, therefore, lias reached its magnets, it will remainidle during the continuance of the stroke; and sol with each armature,one after the other. They all will become idle and stand upon themagnets until the stroke is finished and the circuit opened. Then thecircuit is opened, the weight of the piston at the opposite cnd of thelever, aided, if necessary, by an extra weight or spring, will lift thisend of the lever to the starting point, and, as it rises, each armaturewill be taken up in its turn, and they will all assume their places onthe lever ready for another stroke, at which time the circuit will beclosed by an automatic tender, and the action repeated, and so on.

The extra or overbalance weight H, when necessary to sink the piston,should be hung near the fulcruin of the lever A, as shown. It', on thecontrary, extra weight can be allowed on the power end of the lever,this weight should be near the end of the lever. The circuit-tender I isa slotted plate or frame with a crossboard to receive a set-screw, h,through the cross-bar, and another set-screw, i, through the bottom, asshown. The two screws point toward each other, and can be set to shortenor lengthen the distance between their points. The frame I is, by ajointed rod, j, which works in guides l Z, suspended from the lever A,near the fulcrum of the same, as shown. The circuit-lever J stands atright angles to the main lever, or has an arm standing thus at rightangles, as in Fig. 3. One end of the lever J is inserted in the frame Ibetween the points of the two setscrews, h and t', so that, when themain lever rises to nearly its starting point,

the lower screw t' presses the lever J up and the other end down upon abutton-like point, m, which rests upon a rubber pad, n, through whichthe circuit-wire o passes to connect with this button. The lever J isconnected with the other pole of the battery by a wire, p, so that, whenthe point of the lever J presses the point m on the pad n, the circuitis closed. When the main lever A is drawn nearly down, the screw h willopen the circuit. The pivot of the circuit-lever J should work just stiienough to hold the lever whenever it is left by the action of the-screwh or i. The armatures G G hang at right angles on the main lever A, and

in such positions, respectively, that each will be over the center ofmagnetic attraction at the time the armature reaches its magnetsin otherWords, the armatures are to gravitate to theiridle point,whi1e at thebeginning of action they gravitate toward the fulcrum. The magnets E Eare all put upon the same circuit unless a great number should be used,in which case they may be divided into groups and each group put upon anIindependent circuit, when each group would require its owncircuit-tender, the magnets nearest the fulcrum being charged first. Thearmor-guides are to be made of material not susceptible of magnetism, asbrass or hard rubber, and so must be the circuit-tender I, lever J, andthe overbalance weight H.. All iron substances not necessary toelectro-magnetic action, as well as all quickmotioned machinery, shouldbe removedfrom the magnets, and the magnets should not be too near eachother. To stop the machine, the set-screw a is moved down upon the mainlever.

I nd that the electro-magnetic mechanism and operative power can be moreadvantageously used in connection with atmospheric air, which itcompresses in alternate strokes by the movements of the lever A, than inthe combination with other machinery.

Bellows of suitable kind may be substituted for the air-pump.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentv l. The combination of the lever A withelectro-magnets and with air-pump or bellows, substantially as hereinshown and described.

2. The armatures G G, suspended by scalepivots d from the lever A, whichcarries the guards f, substantially as herein shown and described. 3.The frame I, having` the screws h and t', and combined with the lever J,as set forth.

4. The magnets E E, armatures Gr Gr, lever A, frame I, and lever J, allcombined with each other substantially as herein shown and described.

WILLIAM G. THORNTON. Witnesses:

JNO. A. DAVIS, T. BROWNSON.

